Foot-guard for railways.



m. e42,|m. Patented Ian. 30, I900. .1. n. GREEN.

FOOT GUARD FDR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Mar. 7, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Ilrirrnn Sra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. GREFN, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHEFFIELD CAR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FOOT-GUARD FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,1 10, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed March '7, 1898. Serial No. 673,002, (No model.)

To all 1072 0722, it nuty concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. GREEN, a cilizen of the United States, residing at the city of Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Guards for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in foot-guards for railways, and the same are adapted for use in railway-frogs inside of guardrails or at any point requiring this style of guard.

The objects of this invention are, first, to provide a simple and efficient railway-guard that can be constructed of sheet or cast metal which will be securely retained in place; second, to provide an improved construction of railway-guard which is easily and securely retained in position; third, to provide an improved construction of'railway-guard in which no yielding parts will be required to accommodate the passage of the flanges of the wheels and by the use of which it will be impossible to engage the foot of a person under the heads of the rails or in an angle thereof; fourth, to provide a foot-guard that is easily adjustable to different angles, and, fifth, to provide an improved construction of railwayguard which can be easily stamped out of sheet metal and which will at the same time be very efficient and strong. Further objects will definitely appear in the detailed description to follow. I accomplish these objects of my invention by the devices and means described in this specification.

The invention is definitely pointed out in the claims.

The structure is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved foot-guard in place between two rails in a railway-track. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse detail sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a transverse detail sectional view corresponding to the view shown on line 3 8 of Fig. 1, showing the structure as it is formed when it is intended to be used in the angle of a railway-frog. Fig. 5 is a similar transverse sectional view-of the structure as located next to a guard-rail where the guard may be utilized in a single piece.

In the drawings the sectional views are made looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section-lines.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A A represent the rails of a railway-track approaching each other at an angle, as in a railway-frog or a rail and its guard-rail. My improved foot-guard is adapted to be placed between these rails. It is constructed, preferably, of sheet metal, which is stamped out with a projecting flange E, to extend under the head or heads of the rails, and a central portion which is curved downwardly at the lower angle of the head of the rail and extends horizontally between the two rails, as clearly appears in Fig. 3. \Vhere the flanges of the wheels of railway cars and locomotives pass over the guard it is curved sharply down, as clearly appears in Fig. 3, to avoid contact with the flanges and at the same time to fully fill out the space underneath the head of the rail. Where the guard is to be used on the outside of the rails and between the sides opposite to which the flanges pass I prefer to have the same struck up into ridges E at the lower angle of the head of the rail to afford a convenient shoulder against the same and also to further strengthen the same to increase its supporting power. The ends of the guard are gradually sloped downward at each end and contain suitable perforations D for the railway-spikes D.

The guard for ordinary use is made in two sections 13 B, which are pivoted together at one end, as at O, by a suitable rivet, so that it can be inserted between the rails at any angle and opened to correspond to'the angle of the rails, and the parts are retained together by driving a spike through them in proper position. The upper section B does The under section B is extended a considerable distance under the upper section of rail and downwardlyat its edge to increase the rigidityof the whole.

Where it is only necessary to utilize the guard for a short distance, as at the ends of guard-rails, I prefer to make the guard of a single piece, somewhat resembling the under section B, and extending the same into contact with the web of the'guard-rail and forming the same with the upwardly-projecting portion E to come in contact with the head of the rail, as clearly appears in Fig. 5.

While I have specified that the various parts of my improved foot-guard can be made of sheet metal, I am aware that it is entirely possible to produce the same of cast metal, though the structure is well adapted to sheet metal. It will also be observed that while I secure my improved foot-guard in place by a spike in the tie it rests upon the base of the rail as well as nnderneath the head of the same, and secures a very rigid foot-guard as a consequence, which owing to its secure attachment by the spike in this position will not rattle or work loose and will at the same time be perfectly effective in preventing the feet of persons becoming caught in frogs or guards.

The guard is adapted for use anywhere between rails, whether they approach each other at any angle or are parallel. The guard in this form can be easily cut away or formed to accommodate fish-plates wherever they occur. Several different holes or slots are pro- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot-guard for railways consisting of a metal plate formed with a flange adapted to extend under the head of the rail and fitting against the same; and having a body portion inclined downwardly at its side and having its ends inclined and fitting against the top of the base of the rail and having a suitable aperture to receive a spike to retain the same in position for the purpose specified.

2. A foot-guard for railways consisting of a metal plate formed with a flange adapted to extend under the head of the rail and fitting against the same; and having abody port-ion inclined downwardly at its side and having its ends inclined and fitting against the top of the base of the rail and adapted to receive aspike to retain the same in position for the purpose specified.

3. A foot-guard for railways consisting of sections pi votally connected together at one end, and each having flanges adapted to proj ect under the heads of the rails and fit against the sides thereof, and downwardly inclined to increase the strength thereof, and the ends thereof downwardly inclined to contact with the upper sides of the base of the rails; the end of which is adapted to be engaged by a spike to retain them securely in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. GREEN. [L. s.] Witnesses:

M. J. HUSS, E. A. HENDERSON. 

